Accra, March 16, GNA - More than 95 per cent of disaster victims in developing countries die, according to the Netherlands-based International Centre for Emergency Techniques (ICET) Report.

It said losses due to natural disasters were 20 times greater as a percentage of GDP in developing countries than in developed countries. Mr. Anthony Zanu, Country Director of ICET, in an interview with GNA i= n Accra on Tuesday, said that disaster threats were real and there was the need for urgent respond to natural disasters like earthquakes, landslides, collapsed buildings and flooding.

He called for the training of rescue teams to enable them to effectively manage and save lives with modern techniques, best practices an= d satellite-based communication equipment.

Mr. Zanu pledged ICET's preparedness to collaborate with security agencies in the country through training programmes to ensure effective and efficient handling of disasters.

He said ICET was ready to help reduce human suffering and economic losses by actively developing and implementing sound risk reduction strategies.